Coating mix and process for retaining moisture in comminuted meat products

ABSTRACT

A dry starch material is incorporated into a comminuted meat which is then shaped as desired. Thereafter, a dry mix containing a combination of salt having a particle size of 100% by weight minus 100 U.S. mesh and carrageenan is applied to the surface the shaped meat before cooking in a microwave or conventional oven. The cooked product retains a higher amount of moisture and has improved appearance, taste and texture as compared to cooked meat, poultry or seafood which is not treated before cooking.

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 801,218filed Dec. 2, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,312, issued Oct. 5, 1993.

BACKGROUND OF INFORMATION

This invention relates to novel coating mixes for use in treating meat,poultry or seafood prior to cooking and to processes employed forapplying these coating mixes.

It is known to add certain materials to uncooked meat, poultry orseafood for the purpose of tenderizing and/or retaining moisture withinthe cooked foodstuff. For example, hams are injected with aqueoussolutions of table salt and sodium pyrophosphate to achieve improvedcolor and juice retention. U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,978 discloses the surfaceapplication of finely divided amino acids either alone or in combinationwith other substances such as table salt, spice and/or flavors in orderto obtain a tenderizing effect on meat. U.S. Pat. No. 3,506,455discloses impregnating uncooked meat, such as by needle injection, withorganic material which is capable of binding meat fluids and reducingcooking loss. Materials such as starches, proteins, alginates, pectates,carrageenans, gums, modified cellulose and mixtures thereof. The use ofgelling solutions on fresh meat, poultry and seafood in order to extendstorage life has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,395,024. The use ofcalcium salts of carrageenan as a coating dispersion for precookedmeats, poultry and seafood in order to extend frozen storage life isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,219.

The use of coating mixes in advance of cooking meat, poultry and seafoodare known. These coating mixes are generally intended to retainmoisture, improve appearance, tenderize, provide a flavor impact orprovide a crisp coating. These prior art coatings have found utility,particularly in the home environment, to enable the preparation of meat,poultry and seafood with increased appeal; however, these coatingsgenerally do not perform well in microwave ovens and do not perform wellwith meats such as pork.

It is a particular object of this invention to provide cooked comminutedmeats which produce improved yields (i.e., moisture retention) andtenderness across a wide variety of foodstuffs and across a wide varietyof cooking techniques (e.g. electric or gas-fired ovens, electric orgas-fired grills, broilers and especially microwave ovens).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Meat, poultry and seafood are known to lose moisture during cooking ineither a conventional or microwave oven. This loss is typically moredramatic in meat or chicken as compared to seafood and in microwaveovens as compared to conventional electric or gas ovens. The process ofthis invention relates to dry coating mixes or aqueous slurries whichmay be applied to the surface of meat, poultry or seafood before cookingsame and which result in cooked products which retain a higher yield andhave an improved appearance and texture. Higher yields are generallylinked to higher moisture levels and translate to increased economicefficiency.

This invention is suitable for home, restaurant or manufacturing usewhere the cook treats the meat, poultry or seafood immediately beforecooking and serving. This invention can be utilized where meat, poultryor seafood is treated in accordance with this invention prior to cookingand serving or where the cooked product is thereafter frozen,refrigerated or otherwise preserved for subsequent reheating andconsumption. This invention can also be used where the meat, poultry orseafood is treated and then frozen, refrigerated or otherwise preservedfor subsequent cooking and consumption.

According to this invention carrageenan and micromilled salt is appliedto the surface of uncooked (i.e., raw) meat, poultry or seafood pieceprior to cooking in a manner where the carrageenan is at least partiallyabsorbed into the piece. In the case of meat and poultry which possesssurface pores having a relatively small size or structure, it has beenfound suitable to initially apply a dry mixture containing, andpreferably consisting essentially of, carrageenan and micromilled saltto the surface of each piece of meat or poultry. This application can beaffected simply by sprinkling the dry mix over the surface. It isbelieved, however, that added benefit can be obtained by massaging orrubbing the mix over the surface of the meat or poultry piece. Seafood,including fish fillets and shellfish (e.g., shrimp), may also be treatedin this manner. The dry mix will typically be applied to at least thetop surface of the foodstuff and, especially for meat and poultry, ispreferably applied to essentially the entire outer surface. If the drycoating mix consists of carrageenan and micromilled salt, a second drycoating containing seasoning ingredients may be applied to one or moresurfaces of the foodstuff. Alternatively, it is possible to includeseasoning ingredients in the carrageenan-micromilled salt mixture and tohave only a single coating step. Seafood is especially suited for thesingle-step coating technique. It is also appropriate, especially in thecase of seafood, due to the fact that seafood has a coarser porestructure than does meat or poultry to sprinkle this mixture onto onlythe top surface of the foodstuff.

A further embodiment of this invention relates to the incorporation of adry, uncooked starch within the matrix of comminuted meat products, suchas ground beef, ground turkey, meat loaves, etc., in combination withthe use of a coating mix. The unique combination of starch, carrageenanand micromilled salt has been found to significantly improve moistureand texture when employed with comminuted meat products.

It is believed, although not wishing to be limited thereto, that theefficacy of this invention results from the fact that the salt incombination with carrageenan provides a rapid infusion system into thefoodstuff matrix. Specifically, the salt extracts a portion of theprotein at the surface of the foodstuff and opens surface pores on thefoodstuff thereby allowing the carrageenan to be rapidly assimilatedinto the matrix. The carrageenan will then be strategically placed tohold and bind water during the cooking process. The increasedwater-holding capacity of the system yields cooked products ofoutstanding juiciness and tenderness. This invention may find particularutility for use with low-fat meats, such as hamburger with less than 10%fat, which are notoriously dry after cooking.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The micromilled salt to be used in the dry mixes of this invention has aparticle size of less than 212 microns in diameter (equivalent to 100%by weight passing thru a No. 70 U.S. mesh standard screen), preferablyless than 150 microns in diameter (100% thru a No. 100 U.S. meshscreen), more preferably less than 106 microns in diameter (100% thru aNo. 140 U.S. mesh screen), and most preferably has a particle sizedistribution of 100% between 53 and 106 microns in diameter (equivalentto minus 140, plus 270 U.S. mesh). This contrasts to conventional tablesalt wherein the average particle size is in excess of at least 175microns and wherein a substantial amount of salt material will be inexcess of 350 microns.

The carrageenan for use in this invention is preferably a kappacarrageenan such as a water-soluble extractive from red seaweeds(Rhodophyta) of the order Gigartinales. Genugel/ type MB-51 and CHP-2,products of Copenhagen Pectin (a subsidiary of Hercules Incorporated,Wilmington, Del.), have both proven to be highly functional for use inthis invention.

According to one embodiment of this invention which typically isutilized for meat and poultry, but can also be used for seafood, a drymix consisting of the micromilled salt and carrageenan, typically in aweight ratio of 0.75-10:1, preferably 1.0-5.0:1, and most preferablyabout 1.0-3.0:1, is applied to the surface of the uncooked pieces. Theuse level for the carrageenan will typically be about 0.01 to 0.07 gramsper square inch of surfaces being coated. After application of thesalt-carrageenan mix, the pieces are contacted and coated with a dryseasoning blend containing a conventional assortment of foodingredients, such as sugars, flavors, spices, colors and driedvegetables. One major advantage of this embodiment is that the foodpiece which has been pretreated with the salt-carrageenan mix exhibits arelatively dry surface which does not pick up large amounts of the dryseasoning blend. Typically, the seasoning blend is applied by shakingthe pretreated food piece and seasoning mix together in a plastic bag.It has been estimated that the pick-up of the seasoning blend is atleast four times higher for the untreated food pieces versus thesalt-carrageenan treated pieces. This effect produces obvious costadvantages.

According to another embodiment of this invention, which is typicallyused for seafood, such as fish fillets, but can also be used for meatand poultry, a dry mix containing the micromilled salt, carrageenan andseasoning blend is sprinkled onto the top surface of the foodstuff. Inthese mixes, the ratio of micromilled salt to carrageenan will typicallybe at a level of 3-10:1, more typically 3.5-7:1. Carrageenan use levelscomparable to those recited above will be suitable.

A further embodiment of this invention involves the use of starch, suchas a modified food starch, incorporated within the matrix of acomminuted meat product. The level of incorporation is typically about 1to 6%, preferably 1.5 to 5% by weight of the comminuted meat. Afterincorporation of the dry starch, the comminuted meat matrix is formed tothe desired shape, typically patties or loaves.

This invention is further described but not limited by the followingexamples.

EXAMPLE 1

Four center-cut pork chops, totalling approximately one pound, areplaced in a dish arranged in a single layer. A dry tenderizer mixconsisting of 2.14 grams of salt and 1.41 grams of carrageenan issprinkled evenly over both sides of the pork chops. The surfaces of thechops are massaged to insure even distribution of the mix. The saltcontained in the mix was screened to have a particle size of through a140 U.S. mesh screen and retained on a 270 U.S. mesh screen. Thecarrageenan was Genugel/ carrageenan type MB-51 from Copenhagen Pectinand had a particle size of less than 3% retained on a 60 mesh U.S.Standard Sieve. Twenty grams of a powdered seasoning mix containingsugar, spices, flavors and coloring agent is placed in a plastic bag andthe treated pork chops, one at a time, was placed in the bag and shakenwith the seasoning mix. Excess seasoning mix is discarded. The thuscoated pork chops are placed in a baking dish and placed uncovered in amicrowave oven and cooked for 12 minutes at medium power. Alternatively,the coated pork chops can be cooked for 22 minutes at 400° F. in aconventional oven. The cooked pork chops produced in accordance withthis Example were more pleasing in appearance (i.e., more plump),texture (i.e., more moist, juicy and tender) and taste than uncoatedpork chops cooked in the same manner.

EXAMPLE 2

Four, quarter-pound hamburger patties were formed from one pound ofground beef. The tenderizer mix of Example 1 (3.54 g) was evenlysprinkled over both sides of the patties. The patties were then coatedwith the seasoning mix (20 grams) of Example 1 in the manner describedtherein. The thus coated hamburgers are placed on a baking dish andplaced uncovered in a microwave oven for 6 minutes at high power.Alternatively, the coated hamburgers are cooked in a conventional ovenfor 15 minutes at 400° F. The cooked hamburgers produced in accordancewith this Example were more appealing in appearance (i.e., more plump),texture (i.e., more moist, juicy and tender) and taste than uncoatedhamburgers cooked in the same manner.

EXAMPLE 3

Fresh fish fillets are washed and patted dry. Fillets weighing about onepound are placed flat in a glass baking dish arranged with the thickerportion towards the outside edge. A lemon, parsley, butter-flavoredcoating mix (17.5 g) was sprinkled evenly over the top surface of thefillets.

    ______________________________________                                        Coating Mix         Weight %                                                  ______________________________________                                        Salt (as in Example 1)                                                                             5.0                                                      Carrageenan (as in Example 1)                                                                      1.5                                                      Sugar/Spices/Flavor/Color                                                                         25.9                                                      Butter Powder       51.9                                                      Bulking Agent       15.7                                                      ______________________________________                                    

The dish containing the coated fillets is covered with Saran/ plasticwrap and cooked in a microwave oven at high power for 5-6 minutes. Thecooked fish should stand for two minutes before serving. Alternatively,the coated fish can be cooked in the same manner (but uncovered) in aconventional oven at 400° F. for 10-12 minutes. The cooked fish preparedin accordance with this invention was more appealing in appearance,texture and taste and had a higher cooked yield (90.7 vs. 83.4%) thanuncoated fish cooked in the same manner.

EXAMPLE 4

Fresh fish fillets were prepared, coated and cooked as in Example 3using an Italian-flavored coating mix (17.5 g).

    ______________________________________                                        Coating Mix         Weight %                                                  ______________________________________                                        Salt (as in Example 1)                                                                            14.1                                                      Carrageenan (as in Example 1)                                                                      1.5                                                      Sugar/Spices/Flavors/Colors                                                                       43.4                                                      Dried Vegetables    13.9                                                      Bulking Agent       12.5                                                      Grated Cheese       14.6                                                      ______________________________________                                    

The benefits derived from the use of the coating mix of this Examplewere as described in Example 3.

EXAMPLE 5

Using four center-cup pork chops for each variant as in Example 1 andtreating and microwave cooking the chops using the methodology set forthin Example 1, a comparison was made between the absence of any treatmentversus using only micromilled salt (2.14 g), only carrageenan (1.41 g)and a combination of micromilled salt (2.14 g) and carrageenan (1.41 g).Parameters measured were yield (weight after cooking/weight beforecooking) and moisture of cooked product. The results are set forth inTable 1.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        Treatment       Yield (%) Moisture (%)                                        ______________________________________                                        None            67        58.2                                                Micromilled Salt                                                                              76.6      61.5                                                Carrageenan     70.0      60.2                                                Micromilled Salt/                                                                             82.1      67.4                                                Carrageenan                                                                   ______________________________________                                    

As can be seen from the above Table 1, the combination of this inventionproduced the greatest yield and moisture level, with the levels ofincrease being more than cumulative.

EXAMPLE 6

Four quarter-pound hamburgers were treated and microwave cooked inaccordance with Example 2 using the coating variants set forth inExample 5 and an additional table salt (2.14 g) variant. The results areset forth in Table 2.

                  TABLE 2                                                         ______________________________________                                        Treatment       Yield (%) Moisture (%)                                        ______________________________________                                        None            75.6      59.5                                                Micromilled Salt                                                                              82.0      64.7                                                Carrageenan     79.2      61.4                                                Table Salt      76.4      61.1                                                Micromilled Salt/                                                                             88.0      66.1                                                Carrageenan                                                                   ______________________________________                                    

Again, the yield and moisture improvements were greatest for thisinvention and were unexpectedly large.

A comparable experiment for hamburgers cooked in a conventional ovencomparing only no treatment with the micromilled salt/carrageenancombination showed improved yields of 69% versus 82% and moistures of55.8% versus 61.9% and a distinct taste preference for the treatedhamburgers.

EXAMPLE 7

Chicken cutlets totalling approximately 400 g were treated and cooked inthe same manner as set forth as the pork chops in Example 5, except thatmicrowave cooking was for six minutes at high power. The results are setforth in Table 3.

                  TABLE 3                                                         ______________________________________                                        Treatment       Yield (%)                                                     ______________________________________                                        None            84.9                                                          Micromilled Salt                                                                              92.1                                                          Carrageenan     90.8                                                          Table Salt      89.7                                                          Micromilled Salt/                                                                             93.4                                                          Carrageenan                                                                   ______________________________________                                    

Improvements in yield were greatest for the coating mix of thisinvention.

Separate microwave cooking experiments with flounder fillets comparingonly with and without the coating mix of this invention showed improvedyields of 85% versus 78%.

EXAMPLE 8

An approximately one-pound portion of spare ribs was coated with themicromilled salt-carrageenan blend as in Example 1 and then cooked in a650 watt microwave oven at 50% power to an end point temperature of 160°F. using a temperature probe (approximately 15 minutes). The % yield onthis product was 84%. An approximately one-pound portion of spare ribscooked in the same manner without any coating had a cook yield of 79%.When a seasoning mix (as in Example 1) was added to the coated anduncoated spare ribs before cooking, the respective cook yields were 86%and 75%.

EXAMPLE 9

Raw hamburgers were coated with the tenderizer mix and seasoning mix, asin Example 2, and then frozen and held frozen for one week. Uncoatedhamburgers were similarly frozen and held. Hamburgers taken directlyfrom the freezer and cooked in the same manner in a microwave ovenexhibited a cooked yield of 76.5% for the coated hamburgers versus 65.1%for the uncoated hamburgers. Hamburgers which were taken from thefreezer and held for one hour at room temperature before microwavecocking exhibited a cooked yield of 75.5% for the coated hamburgers and69.3% for the uncoated hamburgers.

EXAMPLE 10

An experiment was conducted using quarter-pound hamburger patties formedfrom ground beef with all samples cooked in a Pyrex® dish in a 650 wattmicrowave oven at high power for six minutes. A cooked yield wascalculated for each of the samples (4 patties each). Sample A pattieswere untreated control. Sample B patties were coated with 3.55 grams ofthe tenderizer mix of Example 1, by evenly sprinkling the mix over bothsides of the patties, and coated with 20 grams of seasoning mix also asin Example 1. Sample C and D patties had respectively 1.5% and 3% byweight of Firmtex™ starch (a modified starch refined from waxy cornwhich is marketed by National Starch and Chemical Corporation,Bridgewater, N.J.) incorporated into the hamburger prior to formation ofthe patties. Sample E included 1.5% Firmtex™ starch in the meat matrixand 3.55 grams of tenderizer mix and 20 grams of seasoning on the pattysurfaces as in Example 1. Sample F included 3% Firmtex™ starch in thematrix and 3.55 grams tenderizer and 20 grams seasoning on the surfaces.

    ______________________________________                                        Sample    Cooked Moisture (%)                                                                          Cooked Yield (%)                                     ______________________________________                                        A         61.8           81.7                                                 B         61.5           85.7                                                 C         66.1           86.6                                                 D         66.5           89.9                                                 E         66.7           89.8                                                 F         66.2           94.5                                                 ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 11

Samples A, B, D and F were prepared as in Example 10 using different andsomewhat higher fat hamburger. The patties were cooked in a microwaveoven at high power for six minutes and then analyzed for yield.

    ______________________________________                                        Sample      Cooked Yield (%)                                                  ______________________________________                                        A           72.8                                                              B           81.8                                                              D           86.2                                                              F           87.3                                                              ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 12

Cooked patties from Example 11 were frozen and held frozen for twoweeks. Thereafter, the patties were taken from the freezer, held at roomtemperature for one hour and then heated in a microwave oven at highpower until an internal temperature of 120° F. (48.9° C.) is obtained(about 6 to 10 minutes). The patties were then analyzed for yield.

    ______________________________________                                                     Yield (%) Yield (%)                                              Sample       (from raw)                                                                              (from frozen)                                          ______________________________________                                        A            54.8      80.5                                                   B            68.2      88.4                                                   D            74.6      88.7                                                   F            78.5      91.5                                                   ______________________________________                                    

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:
 1. A method forpreparing and cooking comminute meat products comprising the stepsof:(a) incorporating within the comminuted meat matrix a dry starch at alevel of from 1 to 6% by weight of the meat and thereafter forming themeat matrix into shaped pieces; (b) evenly applying a dry mix containingsalt having a particle size of 100% by weight through a No. 70 U.S.Standard Sieve and particles of carrageenan, the ratio of salt tocarrageenan being 0.75-10:1, to the surface of the shaped pieces; and,(c) cooking the coated and shaped pieces.
 2. The method of claim 1wherein the dry mix consists essentially of the salt and carrageenan. 3.The method of claim 2 wherein the carrageenan is kappa carrageenan. 4.The method of claim 1 wherein the dry mix contains seasonings.
 5. Themethod of claim 4 wherein the dry mix additionally contains ingredientsselected from the group consisting of sugar, spices, flavors, colors,dried vegetables, bulking agents and thickening agents and combinationsthereof.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the meat, poultry or seafoodis frozen after application of the slurry and before cooking.
 7. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the meat, poultry or seafood is frozen aftercooking.
 8. A method for preparing and cooking comminuted meat productscomprising the steps of:(a) incorporating within the comminuted meatmatrix a dry starch at a level of from 1 to 6% by weight of the meat andthereafter forming the meat matrix into shaped pieces; (b) evenlyapplying a dry mix containing salt having a particle size of 100% byweight through a No. 70 U.S. Standard Sieve and particles ofcarrageenan, the weight ratio of salt to carrageenan being 0.75-10:1, tothe surface of the shaped pieces; (c) applying a second dry coating mixto the surface of the shaped pieces from step (b), said second coatingcontaining seasonings; and (d) cooking the twice-coated pieces.
 9. Themethod of claim 8 wherein the dry mix of step (b) consists essentiallyof the salt and carrageenan.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the ratioof salt to carrageenan is about 1.0-3.0:1.
 11. The method of claim 9wherein the carrageenan is kappa carrageenan.